3/16/2026

Common Kestrel (Falco Tinnunculus)

High above the rolling hills, a kestrel hangs almost motionless in the open sky. The clouds gather and drift around it, heavy with movement and uncertainty, yet the bird barely seems to move. Its attention is fixed on something far below.

This is the kestrel’s signature hunting technique. By facing into the wind, it generates just enough lift to hover in place while scanning the ground for prey. It has the remarkable ability to keep its head almost perfectly still, even with turbulence all around.

The wind shifts, the clouds roll through, the entire landscape seems in motion. Yet the bird doesn’t resist any of it. Watching this, I’m reminded of the Japanese Zen principle Seijaku. It’s often translated as calmness or tranquility, but the idea goes a little deeper than that. Seijaku points to a state of active calm, a way of remaining clear and focused even when everything around you is in motion.

The kestrel doesn’t argue with the wind or try to clear the clouds from the sky. It accepts the conditions and focuses on what matters. Its stillness isn’t passive. It’s precise, disciplined, and completely present.

Life rarely unfolds under perfect skies either. There are always shifting circumstances, unexpected challenges, and moments when the horizon darkens. We don’t get to choose the weather, but we do get to choose our stance. When we cling to resistance, we exhaust ourselves fighting what we cannot control. But when we anchor ourselves in the present moment, we create the space to respond rather than react.

The kestrel shows what that can look like. Not escaping the storm, not fighting the wind, but learning to hold steady within it.

Eyes on the prize.

EYES ON THE PRIZE

70 x 50 cm. (27.6" x 19.7")

Available - email: robert@nitiredjo.com